


This is not an attempt at courting

by orphan_account



Category: The Hobbit (2012), The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Dwalin is a bit slow, Fluff, M/M, Thorin approves of this because they're both idiots, and very much in denial, courting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-01
Updated: 2013-02-01
Packaged: 2017-11-27 19:00:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,270
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/665368
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dwalin only acted that way because he cared for the boy. And by care, he meant that he liked the boy as if he were his nephew, or a cousin. A very handsome cousin. Whom he liked a lot.</p>
            </blockquote>





	This is not an attempt at courting

It didn’t mean anything, really. Dwalin was just being kind, and taking care of the lad, as he had always done. No one could blame him for that. And, certainly, it had been years since he’d last seen Fili, and the lad had grown up a lot during that time, becoming a rather fine young dwarf, but Dwalin still saw him as that tiny little babe whom he had trained to hold a sword.

 And a good thing it was, too, that Dwalin thought of him as a child, or it would have made things rather awkward when he had given him his coat for a the night, as the lad was meant to keep watch with him. Some might have thought he had _intentions_. But Fili’s teeth kept chattering, and his lips were turning a rather bluish hue. Not that Dwalin was watching the lad’s lips, of course. He supposed they were blue though, it would have been a logical effect of the cold.

 “Are you going to be okay?” Fili had worried, while wrapping himself comfortably in the thick coat.

 Dwalin had only grunted. It was a cold night, but he’d known worse than that, and as long as the lad was warm, he’d survive.

  

* * *

 

His offer to polish the lad's sword had been quite as innocent. Fili had so many blades of all kind, it took him much too long to take care of all of these. It was time he could have used to rest or to help with the chores. So it was entirely logical to give him a hand, even though in other circumstances such an offer would have seemed like a bold attempt at seducing the lad.

 But Dwalin did not _seduce_ people. He sometimes tried his chance in a tavern for a night or two of mindless fun, but that was it. He had no interest in romance, not since Erebor had been lost. He had too much to do to care for such trifle.

 No, his offer to the lad was only that of an old family friend, nothing more. And if the young prince's smile had made him feel warm, well, that was just a coincidence, really.

 

* * *

 

Then there had been that time he gave away some of his food to the prince, as their provisions were starting to run low. Well, no one would have thought _that_ had any connotations, except for the useless little thing they called their burglar. The small idiot had sniggered when he had noticed what Dwalin was doing, and had then explained to Bofur that, among his kind, giving food was almost a proclamation of your love.

 "Not that anyone would ever thing that of you master Dwalin," the hobbit had quickly added, looking at the dwarf with no small amount of fear. "We all know Fili is more like a son to you, isn't he?"

 "Are you calling me a child?" Fili had vehemently protested. "Because I'm not one. I'll let you know I'm an adult, and I could bed someone of Dwalin's age if I wanted. I could do anything I want, really, even court someone or marry them. I'm a proper, official adult."

 "Since last year," Kili added with a smile. "Well, since last winter, actually. And you still do whatever mom tells you to do."

 "Sure, but so does uncle Thorin."

 "Point taken. But I still can't see you courting anyone. Not your style. Unless flirting with your reflection in the mirror counts of course."

 That got him a dark look from his brother, and laughter most of the dwarves around them. Fili, looking the very image of hurt pride, punched his brother in the arm.

 "I am sorry, but some of us wait to be adults before they start flirting." Fili coldly said. "We can't all take a liking to someone as young as us, right?"

 That did shut Kili up, and the next round of laughter in the group was at his expanse. Everyone had noticed his interest for Ori -everyone but Ori himself, actually. But that was not what caugh Dwalin interest.

 "Are you saying your interest is caught by someone older than you, princeling?" He asked.

 "What do you care if I do, master Dwalin? Worried that I'll choose unwisely? Well, fear not, he has little interest in me. Thinks me a _child_ , not that I blame him. He's a good and honest dwarf though, a brave warrior who's proved himself many times, and I'm sure my uncle and mother would approve of him if they knew."

 Worry for the lad made Dwalin's heart clench. It had to be worry. You didn't get jealous of a child's lover. You didn't get jealous at all, when you were Dwalin. So it was only fear for the lad's well-being that explained his interest in his love life, really.

 "You've been rejected, then?" he asked, and immediately regretted it. Thank Mahal that Balin was busy talking with the wizard, or he'd have punched him for his lack of delicacy.

 "I have not even tried to make my interests shown," Fili answered. "I see not point in it, when I already know the reaction it will get me."

 "That's an elvish way of thinking, lad. Giving up before the first try, that's not how a lad from Durin's line should act, if you want my opinion."

 If the compliment was made in a more bitter voice than he should have liked, it did not matter. The lad needed encouragement, and if that could help him be happy, so be it. Still, there was something strange in the way Fili looked at him after this, but Dwalin decided it did not matter, and went away to sit with Thorin. He wondered a moment if he should tell his friend that his nephew was in love, but eventually decided against it. The lad seemed to find it difficult enough as it was.

  

* * *

 

When Dwalin proposed to mend one of Fili's tunics, which the lad had torn while playing with his brother, he realized he might be going a bit far. That was something you did for family only, be it of blood or of love. A friend had no reason to offer such a thing, not when you had proper kin to help you. But -and really, that was far-fetched, Dwalin couldn't deny it- maybe he did count as family of sort. Thorin was like a brother to him, and that almost made him the lad's uncle, in a way. Didn't it?

 Judging by the way everyone was staring at him, it didn't.

 “I think we need to have a word,” Thorin said, a stern look on his face. Which didn't worry Dwalin. Thorin always looked like that.

 Still, he followed his king a little way away from the company. He had done nothing wrong of course, and he could easily explain the logic behind his every actions toward Fili. The fact that he had taken so much time to think how to justify his acts was probably not in his favour, but of course Thorin did not need to know that.

 “You are aware that it's my nephew you're courting,” Thorin said in a threatening voice. “A boy that you've known since his birth.”

 “I'm not courting anyone. I'm being nice. Didn't you want me to keep an eye on him?”

 “And on Kili, yes, but you're only proposing to sew for _one_ of them. And you've taken care of Fili's weapon too...”

 “The lad was losing hours on these!”

 “And you lent him your coat more than once...”

 “You don't want you heir to freeze to death, do you?”

 “Shared your food with him too.”

 “That's not even a thing among our kind!” Dwaling protested, exasperated. “Nobody would have thought such a thing if not for that halfling.”

 “But you didn't stop after the little one told you what it could mean. I'd say you even did it more often. So?”

 “So _what_?” Dwalin grumbled, starting to get worried.

 Had Thorin been angry, he would have known how to deal with it. He was used to his friend's anger, and knew how to calm him. He had logical arguments to explain everything, should Thorin start claiming he disapproved the whole thing, and that Dwalin was a monster for daring to want his nephew and heir. But his old friend was calm. Too calm.

 “Do you _want_ me to be courting the lad?” Dwalin asked.

 “If I said yes, what would you do?”

 And that was a trap if Dwalin had ever seen one. He thought about it carefully. It was true that the lad was a handsome one, and that he had grown into a rather fierce warrior, even if not the smartest around. Not that Dwalin himself was much better in that respect, of course. And Fili seemed to have all that was needed to make a fine king one day, being as kind and generous as his uncle, but a good deal less proud and stubborn.

 “If I were to show any interest in him, how likely is it that you'll kill me?”

 “Depends on the sort of interest we're talking about here,” Thorin said, but Dwalin could tell he was _almost_ close to smiling.

 “Well, I'm certainly too old to be fooling around, and... Ah, but there's a detail I'm forgetting. The lad already has a sweetheart.”

 “Does he, now.”

 There was something about the way Thorin had said that, as if Dwalin were the worst of idiots, that made him doubt. But Fili had said it quite clearly, he had someone on his mind, an older warrior who...

 “Oh.”

 “One thing I'm sure of,” Thorin sighed, “is that my nephew doesn't want you for you brains. But he's not much better than you, so you make a pair. Now go and... talk to him or something, because I swear I can't stand it anymore, the way you idiots look at each other and sigh like lovestruck elves, you two will make me sick. And just to be clear, you are _not_ to touch him whenever I'm here to see it. I want to be able to _pretend_ I don't know what's going on.”

  

* * *

 

Later that night, Dwalin announced he who be the first to keep watch, and that Fili would keep him company. This elicited some protestations from Kili, who usually did that with his brother, until the warrior suggested that he took the next turn with Ori.

 There was a rather awkward moment of silence between Dwalin and Fili after everyone had gone to bed, as neither knew what to say. In the older dwarf's limited experience in courting, this was usually the point where he suggested to have a quick fuck in the dark, but that only worked in inns, when he could be sure that he'd be long gone by morning and would not have to face any consequences. He could not do that this time. More importantly perhaps, he did not _want_ to do that.

 Dwalin was still struggling for something to say when Fili turned to him, frowning.

 "I don't know what uncle told you, but I'm not a child. I am..."

 "An adult, and allowed to court and marry, yes. You said so the other day."

 The young prince threw him a dark look.

 "That means I can _be courted_ , too. And that if someone offers to clean my weapon or share their coat with me, it's not _weird_ for me to think they're interested in me.

 "Laddie..."

 "And if they're doing that and _not_ courting me, then I think I'd have a right to feel insulted. So I'll have to ask you, did you really just think I was a babe that you could coddle, or was there anything more to it? Because I wouldn't _mind_ if there was. I'd even rather like it, if you should know."

 The sheer boldness of that shocked Dwalin who, in the end, had been raised in a time where subtlety was the key value in seduction. The shock was greater still when Fili grabbed his beard and kissed him. It had been a while since Dwalin had found himself in such a position, and Fili seemed to lack experience, but they soon managed to figure it out.

 "So you were courting me then," Fili said triumphantly when they separated. "I knew it. Kili is going to be mad when he knows I got you before he got Ori."

 "Your brother knows?"

 Fili rolled his eyes.

 "The _entire company_ knows. I mean, you've not been very subtle, and I let you do all that, right? Mahal, I'd have let you mend that stupid tunic if uncle hadn't interrupted, but I'm sure you still wouldn't have understood the message. Bet it comes from being bald, the sun must have burnt your brain."

 Dwalin smirked at that.

 "You're rather insolent for a dwarf so short. I should make you regret your words, princeling."

 "Oh, yes, do try to punish me. I am so terribly _scared_."

 The tone was teasing, and Fili's smile was the wicked one he usually had when annoy his brother, or when he was about to launch what he seemed to believe was going to be a surprise attack. Dwalin was quicker though. He caught the younger dwarf's arm, and dragged him on his lap.

 "You'd better be scared indeed, lad," the warrior said. "I have many ideas of what I will do to you, and it's too late to run now."

 Fili laughed, and Dwalin kissed him again, holding him close.

**Author's Note:**

> This started as a crack pairing and now I ship it for real HELP.  
> Also I apprently officially specialize in rare pairings now. Cool.


End file.
